After the original tournament for the weekend was cancelled due to weather, the East Central University softball team has made plans to participate in the George McCorkle Tournament, Feb. 8-9 in San Angelo, Texas.  

Game Notes

Angelo State is the new tournament host, with the Lady Tigers playing four games.  ECU will first face Texas A&M International (10:30 a.m.) and Angelo State (3:15 p.m.) Feb. 8 and then battle with Drury (10:30 a.m.) and Angelo State (12:45 p.m.) Feb. 9

The Coverage
Fans who can't be at the game can find links to live stats, live video (if available) on ECUTigers.com.  Go to the softball schedule page.

Scouting Texas A&M International
The Dust Devils had a strong performance at the St. Mary's Classic, going 3-2 in the opening weekend.

Chelsea Deleon led the team with a .632 batting average.  She tallied seven runs, 12 hits and 10 RBIs.  Kyndall Reaves went 1-1 in the circle for TAMI, with a 2.50 ERA, 15 hits and eight runs allowed and four strikeouts.

Against the Dust Devils
The teams met in the opening game of the 2014 season, with TAMI earning a 1-7 victory.  Sophomore Sydney Dow led ECU with two hits, one run and an RBI, while also pitching four innings.  Dow allowed three hits and three runs and struck out four batters.

Last season the Lady Tigers earned two five-inning wins over TAMUI at the Midwestern State tournament (9-0/11-3).

Kayci Snider led ECU at the plate in the 2013 series, hitting .833, with three runs, five hits, two home runs and four RBIs.  Brianna Nunley earned a win in the circle, with six strikeouts.

Scouting Angelo State
The Rambelles are 2-2 on the season after competing in the St. Mary's Classic a weekend ago.

Morgan Spearman led ASU with a .727 batting average on five runs and eight hits.  Darian Dunn added a .455 batting average, with a team-best four RBIs.  Sandra Serna went 1-1 in the circle, with 11 hits and three runs allowed, nine strikeouts and a .333 opponent batting average.

Against the Rambelles
In 2013, the Lady Tigers and ASU meet once, with the Rambelles earning a 4-5 win.

Junior Gina Mengwasser led ECU with two hits and two RBIs.  Brianna Nunley threw five innings, with three runs allowed and five strikeouts.

Maddy McGarity is the top returner for ASU, with two hits, two runs and one RBI.  Mary Kate McKay is the top returning pitcher, with five innings of work, eight hits and three runs allowed and one strikeout.

Scouting Drury
The Panthers will open their 2014 season at the ASU tournament.  Drury finished 2013 with a 22-25 overall and 13-20 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

Kristi Shepherd and Kelsey James are the top returners for the Panthers.  Shepherd had a .400 batting average, with five runs, two hits and an RBI in just 11 games.  James tallied a .244 average, 10 runs, 30 hits and seven RBIs.

Caitlin Krebs is the top pitcher back in the circle for Drury.  Krebs recorded a 3.41 ERA, 8-11 record and a .284 opponent batting average in 12 complete games.  She allowed 146 hits, 71 runs and struck out 64 batters.

Against the Panthers
Sunday's meeting with Drury is the first in school history for ECU.

Sydney Stepping Out
Sophomore transfer Sydney Dow wasted no time fitting into the ECU softball team.  In her first weekend she tallied two runs, four hits and two RBIs.  She also drew three walks (No. 3 in the GAC), had a .727 slugging percentage (No. 8), .500 on-base percentage (No. 6) and struck out six batters with pitching (No. 6).

GAC Preseason Poll
The success from a year ago and the retention of the majority of the 2013 squad has not gone unnoticed by the GAC coaches, as ECU was picked to finish second (87 points/2 first-place votes) in the 2014 GAC Preseason Poll.

Southeastern Oklahoma State was picked to finish first, with 97 points and seven first-place votes.  Arkansas-Monticello was picked third (75 points/2 first-place votes), Arkansas Tech fourth (70 points), Southern Arkansas fifth (60 points), Henderson State sixth (59), Ouachita Baptist and Southern Nazarene seventh (36 points), Northwestern Oklahoma State ninth (33), Southwestern Oklahoma State 10th (27) and Harding 11th (25).

Up Next
The Lady Tigers will remain on the road for the third week when they travel to Bentonville, Ark., for the Arkansas-Monticello Tournament, Feb. 14-16.  The weekend tournament will be the final games before ECU starts Great American Conference action Feb. 21 at Henderson State.